All Party Parliamentary Group on Urban Regeneration, Sport and Culture

A Freshly Squeezed Legacy: can a future government still deliver a successful legacy on a tighter budget?

10th March, 1500-1630

House of Lords, Committee Room 3

Chair: Lord Mawson OBE

Panel: Caroline Spelman MP (Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government), Hazel Blears MP, Cllr Steven Purcell (Leader of Glasgow City Council) and Francis Done (Chair of Manchester Commonwealth Games Board)

This Group is looking at how we can get the most socio-economic benefit out of large public sector investments. After a first very successful inaugural meeting, the Group is moving on to discuss how we deliver large scale regeneration to achieve a legacy vision in the context of tighter public finances.

With a general election expected to take place this May, the future Government’s budget will be significantly less than in previous years. During the boom years, an ambitious legacy was promised to Glasgow City who are hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games and London, host City for the Olympic Games 2012. The group will explore whether this ambition is still fully achievable or whether a tight budget will force a reconsideration of priorities.

Using the Manchester 2002 and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games as a case study, we will ask the following questions:

What are the specific socio-economic benefits of the Games for local people and the city?

Where should we be investing more funds to ensure a better return on the public purse?

What lessons can we learn from past large scale regeneration projects and how can we use these lessons to efficiently deliver a successful legacy and avoid waste?

The APPG exploring Urban Regeneration, Sport and Culture aims to be more of a working group focusing on practical and entrepreneurial solutions rather than just a platform for debate. The first meeting in November was very successful with a lively panel and audience debate and attendance at full capacity.

At this second meeting we will have presentations from Steven Purcell (Leader of Glasgow City Council), Frances Done (Chair of Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games Board), Hazel Blears MP and we will be hearing thoughts from Caroline Spelman MP, Cllr Paul Brickell (Lead Member for 2012 Olympics, London Borough of Newham) and Gillian Evans (Researcher working with the Olympic Park Legacy Company).

These large scale events which are happening in our cities should make a real difference to people’s daily lives and the benefits should go far beyond the immediate physical impact of new facilities, housing and tourism. Each city suffers from pockets of high deprivation and poverty. The APPG will be discussing how we can use regeneration, sport and culture to lift people’s aspirations, encourage better health and increase job prospects.